At least 42 people have been killed when a boat carrying Somali refugees off the coast of Yemen was fired at from a helicopter, the International Organisation for Migration says.

Women and children were among those killed when the vessel was hit near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the IOM said, reports the BBC.

In a separate incident on Friday, at least 22 people died in an attack on a mosque inside a military base in Yemen.

Two missiles were fired at the mosque, in the Kofal military camp west of Marib, officials said.

About 80 survivors were rescued and taken to the hospital, according to the IOM. It is also not known where the boat was traveling to and from.

It remains unclear who carried out the attack. A Yemeni trafficker who survived the attack told the Associated Press that the boat was fired at by a helicopter gunship and a military vessel.

BDST: 1125 HRS, MAR 18, 2017
SR